Pinot Noir

Country: US / Garys’ Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Siduri / Santa Lucia Highlands Raw-boned, aggressive in tannins and powerful in fruit, in the manner of a young Garys’ Pinot. While it’s not ready to drink, it does show commanding flavors of black cherries, currants, cola and mushrooms that aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. […]

Country: US / Reserve Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Rusack / Sta. Rita Hills Rich and impressive, not only for its wealth of concentrated flavor, but for the full-bodied mouthfeel and overall polish. It’s showing flashy cherry, currant and pomegranate fruit now, but the tannins are fairly hefty, while the acidity is brisk and mouthwatering. […]

Country: Argentina / Cincuenta y Cinco Variety: Pinot Noir Other Winery: Bodega Chacra / Patagonia This defines elegance with respect to South American Pinot Noir. A fine blend of cherry, leather and tea aromas leads to a round yet crisp body with toasty, smoky oak framing juicy, light-framed red-fruit flavors. A fresh and precise finish […]

Country: US / West Slope Estate Grown Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Donum / Carneros Superbly delicious, and packed with ripeness and style. Shows the characteristics of Donum’s regular 2010 Carneros, with extra depth and complexity. Waves of raspberries and cherries, licorice, mocha, wood spice and vanilla wash across the palate, always changing in fascinating […]

Country: US / Canary Hill Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: Ken Wright / Eola-Amity Hills Canary Hill Shines in this new vintage, with mixed and juicy fruit flavors of cranberry, raspberry and cherry. It has good grip and a well-balanced herbal note, finishing with hints of green tea.

Country: US / Tenth Anniversary Estate Grown Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Donum / Carneros Extraordinarily ripe and flamboyant, starting with a tsunami of ripe cherry and raspberry jam, then leading to a finish rich in spices and warm liqueur. The wine’s tannins and acids fortunately provide firm structure. It’s a bit obvious now in […]

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Pence Ranch / Santa Barbara County There are judicious hints of turned forest floor and barnyard funk on the nose of this wine from just east of the Sta. Rita Hills, with a licorice and wild berry fruit backbone. A lemon brightness highlights the palate, along with […]

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: La Fenêtre / Santa Maria Valley This blend of grapes from Bien Nacido, Presqu’ile and Riverbench vineyards is light in color with aromas of turned earth, dust and sliced strawberries. It’s elegant and lean on the palate, with lots of slate and graphite minerality warming up toward […]

Country: US / Estates Reserve Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: Trisaetum / Willamette Valley This is a barrel selection combining the best lots from all three estate vineyards. Refined, pungent, spicy and persistent, it opens with bright raspberry and cherry fruit, then lays on layers of anise, coconut, vanilla, caramel and a whiff of cannabis […]

Country: US / Fugio Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Pence Ranch / Santa Barbara County Red cherries, sagebrush and darkly colored slate elements power the tight nose on this wine from an estate located just east of the Sta. Rita Hills, which owner Blair Pence is trying to expand. The palate shows cracked peppercorns, cranberry-raspberry […]

Country: US / Summit Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Pali / Sta. Rita Hills One of the more fairly priced blends from the appellation on the market, this mix of Bentrock, Radian, Rancho La Vina and Huber vineyards shows black cardamom, chai spice, lemon oil, eucalyptus and concentrated, aromatic black raspberries on the nose. Once […]

Country: US / 115/667 Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Wrath / Monterey The numbers refer to the clones of Pinot Noir used. The wine is dark, soft and ordinary, offering flavors of cherries, cola, anise, bacon and sandalwood, wrapped in a silky texture. Ready now.